Sept. 21, 1999
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Notre Dame men’s and women’s cross country teams dominated the National Catholic Championships with first-place finishes at the Notre Dame Golf Course last Friday, Sept. 17. It was the fifth consecutive team win for the men and the fourth consecutive win for the women. Both teams will return to action at home on Friday, Oct. 1 for the Notre Dame Invitational.
NATIONAL CATHOLIC RECAP: In addition to the Notre Dame teams extending their National Catholic win streaks, individually senior All-American JoAnna Deeter (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) won her fourth straight title with a 5K time of 16:52, while junior Ryan Shay (Central Lake, Mich.) captured his third consecutive individual title with an 8K time of 24:41. Deeter was the first women’s runner to ever repeat as champion, while Shay joined Marquette’s Keith Hanson (1983-85) as the only three-time men’s winners. Finishing just behind Deeter was senior Alison Klemmer (Troy, Mich.), who logged her second runner-up finish of her career (1999, 1997) in a time of 17:42 . Freshman Jennifer Handley (Barrie, Ont.) continued her impressive debut season placing third in 18:01, following a win at the Valparaiso Invitational, September 11. Senior Erin Luby (Inverness, Ill.) was another Irish runner in the top 10 with an eighth-place finish in a time of 18:19. The final scoring runner for the Irish was junior Erin Olson (Eden Prarie, Minn.), who placed 16th. The Notre Dame women took first place overall with 30 points, 100 points lower than its nearest competitor St. Thomas. Also claiming a runner-up finish for Notre Dame was sophomore Luke Watson (Stillwater, Minn.), who completed the course in 25:04. Senior Ryan Maxwell (Staten Island, N.Y.) was right behind Watson, finishing third in 25:14, while senior John Dudley (Westwood, Mass.) placed in the top 10 for the second consecutive meet (sixth – 25:26). Freshman Antonio Lopez (Albuquerque, N.M.), in his first career home meet, rounded out the top five Irish harriers in eighth place with a time of 25:35. The Irish team score of 20 outdistanced Lewis University, which was second with 66 points. The Irish began their domination with outstanding performances in both the men’s and women’s junior varsity races. The women, led by senior Cara Motter (Brawley, Calif.) and freshman Kari Eaton (Wadsworth, Ohio), placed all 10 of their runners in the top 11, while the men’s team’s two entries, John Beck (Torrington, Wyo.) and Kevin Brown (San Jose, Calif.), were first and second respectively.
NOTRE DAME INVITATIONAL PREVIEW: The 44th running of the Notre Dame Invitational, one of the nation’s oldest and largest intercollegiate cross country races, is scheduled for October 1 at the Notre Dame Golf Course. The invitational was started by former Irish coach Alex Wilson in 1956, which makes it one of the oldest cross country invitationals in the nation. The Notre Dame men have won 13 team titles in the history of the meet and finished second in 1998. The Notre Dame women, who started competing in 1987, have two team titles. Senior All American JoAnna Deeter also has two Notre Dame Invitational individual titles (’96,’98). Junior Ryan Shay, who finished second last year, will be looking for his first Notre Dame Invitational win. The Irish men were edged by North Carolina State last year and finished second. Sophomore Luke Watson finished 19th in last year’s race. The women will be out to improve upon their 1998 fifth-place finish. Senior Patty Rice (Mishawaka, Ind.), who is expected to run her first race of 1999, finished as Notre Dame’s number two runner with a 22nd in 1998.
NOTRE DAME INVITATIONAL RECENT HISTORY:
Men's ChampionsYear Team Individual Time1995 Notre Dame Charles Mulinga (Lewis) 24:50.31996 Michigan James Njoroge (Taylor) 23:341997 Eastern Michigan Elly Rono (Southern Indiana) 24:101998 North Carolina St. John Mwangi (Butler) 22:49
Women's ChampionsYear Team Individual Time1995 Wake Forest Cindy Moreshead (Wake Forest) 17:13.01996 Notre Dame JoAnna Deeter (Notre Dame) 16:271997 Bowling Green Lisa Petsche (Edinboro) 17:111998 North Carolina St. JoAnna Deeter (Notre Dame) 16:50
MONDO NCAA Div. I
Men’s Cross Country
Preseason Poll (9/14)
(Conducted by the United States Cross Country Coaches Association)
Rank School (First-Place) Votes 1. Arkansas (10) 394 2. Stanford (5) 384 3. Colorado 339 4. North Carolina State 338 5. Wisconsin (1) 335 6. Northern Arizona 289 7. Providence 279 8. Arizona 263 9. Oregon 24210. James Madison 21011. Michigan 19012. Michigan State 17413. Minnesota 15714. Georgetown 14215. Butler 140
Others: Notre Dame 10